Md. Pets on Wheels to comfort Newtown families

Group to head to Connecticut for day Friday

Published 2:07 PM EST Dec 20, 2012

BALTIMORE -

As Newtown, Conn., continues to grieve after last week's mass shooting, those affected will be getting some comfort from Charm City in the form of a furry faction of therapy pets that are heading north on Friday.

More than 20 therapy dogs, 25 handlers and one therapy turtle from Pets on Wheels are going to Newtown to try to bring comfort to the families and community a week after a gunman opened fire on Sandy Hook Elementary School, killing 26 people, including 20 children.

"We're not going to impose on people's grief, but we're certainly there to support them, and if they want to interact with the dogs, we're there," said Pets on Wheels volunteer Dana Kollmann.

At a time when words aren't enough, the pets have something else to offer.

"They give unconditional love. They're sort of a blank slate in the sense that people can give to the dogs what they want, and they can tell the dogs what they want," Kollmann said.

The day isn't completely planned out, but the group said they'll mostly go where their instincts lead them.

"We're going to meet at Sandy Hook Elementary. They have a memorial there, so we're going to spend some time there. I heard they have another memorial near the river close to there, so we'll spend some time there," said Vicki Rummel, the executive director of Pets on Wheels.

After that, they're planning to visit a counseling session at a nearby middle school.

Pets on Wheels has been around for 30 years, but the group said it doesn't usually travel like this.

"This came together really fast," Rummel said.

She said the volunteers -- nearly all of them have full-time jobs -- didn't miss a beat when she floated the idea.

"Immediately, as soon as I sent out the email to volunteers, they were like, 'I'm calling my boss to get off Friday.' And 10 minutes later, they're calling back, saying, 'I'm going,'" Rummel said.

The human volunteers know they're in for a trip that will drain them emotionally, but they said that doesn't matter because the pets are just doing their jobs.

"Our experience is people won't necessarily go to counselors, but they see the animals and they're just drawn toward them, so we're there for them," Kollmann said.

The group is leaving early in the morning Friday and returning very late the same night.

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